Draft mechanism for traction-sleds.



No. 795,955.l PATBNTBB AUG. 1, 1905.

N. E. BROWN. DRAFT MBGHANISM POR TRAGTION sums.

APPLIICA'IION FILED MAB.. 9, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N. E. BROWN. r

DRAFT MEGHANISM FOR TRACTINSLEDS.

APPLICATION P ILBD MAB.. 9, 1904.

- PATBNTED AUG. `1, 1905.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Q /Witwen@ HAAN w. @um a.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

DRAFT NIECHANISNI FOR TRACTlON-SLEDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

Application filed March 9, 1904:. Serial No. 197,250.

To all whom, t nca/y concern.

Be it known that I, NAT ELMER BROWN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Robbinsdale,county of Hennepin, and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Draft Mechanism for Traction-Sleds, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in cable-draft mechanism for traction-sleds used in drawing logs or heavy loads over snow or ice of the general class of that shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 750,586, dated January S26, 19011, to me.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of an apparatus containing my invention in use. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are side and plan views of a portion of the same. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are respectively side, plan, and front views of the traction-sled.

A is the traction -s led; B B, the train of loaded sleds drawn thereby.

C is the traction-rope, consisting of the runs or branches c c2.

D is a horse propelled sled carrying a sheave d.

E E2 are anchors fixed, respectively, to the two runs of the traction-rope.

F and F3 are anchorage-s embedded in the Snow, ice, or ground. The anchorage may consist of a suflicient number of logs coupled together and embedded crosswise in the roadbed in such manner as to afford a secure hold for the anchor.

The anchors are alike and consist of the double-nuked member e e2, pivotally secured between the side plates e3 ci, provided with a stop e5 in such manner that when either of the fiukes rests against said stop the other iuke projects in holding`position, the two positions being shown, respectively, by full and dotted lines in Fig. 3.

e and c7 are semi-elliptical side frames or bars of suHicient convexity to hold the anchor in upright position when being hauled along the ground. The plates e3 and eAL are also of the tapering form desired for running over obstructions.

The anchors are secured at the proper positions, respectively, in the runs of rope c/ c2 by suitable couplings or shackles. When the anchor is being hauled along the ground, the fluke which happens to be lowermost will be hidden between the side plates, so as to escape obstructions; but as soon as it passesv over an anchorage in moving forward it drops by gravity into a hooking position the instant the engine hauls backward on the rope, both of its positions being shown in Fig. 3.

AThe traction-sled contains the platform 1, mounted upon the runners 2, and a tractionengine mounted upon the platform,which may be of the following described form: 3 is the boiler. 4 represents the cylinders by which the spur-wheel 5 is driven through the ordinary piston-rods, shaft, and pinion, which are omitted for clearness of illustration. 6 and 7 are ordinary friction rope -drums provided with the ordinary friction-brakes and driven from the spur-wheel 5 by friction-clutches.

The traction-sled is steered by the following means: The platform 1 is connected with the bolster 8 of the front runners by a king-bolt. From opposite ends of this bolster extend the chains 9 and 10. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6.) These chains extend around suitable sheaves and are coiled in opposite directions upon the shaft 11, to which is fixed the beveled gear 12,intermeshing with the beveled gears 13 and 14, which may be alternately connected with the shaft 15 by the clutch 16, controlled by a suitable hand-lever. The shaft 15 is continually driven from the spur-wheel 5 by the spur-wheel 16". By the reversing-gear thus 'provided the operator is enabled to move the front truck of the sled in either direction that may be required for steering.

The operation is as follows: When either of the anchors, as E2, is secured to an anchorage, as F', as shown in Fig. 2, the run c2 of rope with which it is connected is hauled upon by the drum 7 until the traction-sled A draws itself forward to said anchorage. In the meantime the friction is thrown off of drum 6, so that it is free to pay out the run c twice as fast as the sled D is hauled forward by the horse. The anchor E/ may be thus hauled forward to the anchorage F2 and made fast by the time the traction-sled has hauled itself up to the anchorage F. The friction is now thrown on drum 6 and 0H drum 7 and so maintained until drum 6 has hauled the tractionsled up to anchorage F2 and the horse has simultaneously drawn suiiicient rope off drum 7 to haul the anchor E2 forward to engagement with the next succeeding anchorage.

It will be observed that by the connection of the two runs of rope c c2 around the sheave d the horse is constantly hitched to each of the anchors ready to pull it forward. More-` over, the forward motion of the traction-sled is continuous, thereby saving the power which would otherwlse be requlred to overcome the inertia of starting as well as the frlction of starting and the resistance due to the freezing of the sled vto the road-bed. Moreover, the horse after pulling one anchor forward is not obliged to retrace his steps to get the other anchor. Moreover, the anchor lnoves forward at twice the speed of the horse.

The foregoing is to be understood as a description of what I now regard as the best form for the embodiment of my invention and is not to be regarded as a limitation of the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. rI`he combination of a traction-vehicle with an engine thereon and winding mechanism operating acable winding o1' draft side and a cable unwinding or delivering side behind or between two alternating anchoring devices having a forward ly-extending co nnection. l

2. The combination with a traction-Vehicle and winding mechanism operated by the engine thereon, of a transmission-cable forming a loop extending forward from said winding mechanism and an anchoring device on each run of said loop.

3. The combination with a traction-vehicle and winding' mechanism operated by the engine thereon, of'a forwardly-traveling sheave, a cable extending from said windi 1g mechanism around said sheave and back again and anchoring mechanism secured ta raid cable.

4f. The combination of two vehicles, two runs of rope extending between the same, an anchoring' device on each run and mechanism for hauling in on said runs alternately.

5. In combination, a traction-vehicle, two runs of rope extending forward therefrom, means for hauling in on said runs alternately and an anchoring device comprising a disappearing pivotally-mounted uke and a socket therefor.

6. In combination, a` traction-vehicle, two

runs o f rope extending forward therefrom,'

means for hauling in on said runs alternately and an anchoring device comprising a disappearing pivotally-mounted fluke, a socket therefor and a laterallyextending frame whereby the same is maintained in substantially uprightposition.

7. In combination, a pilot-vehicle, two rope runs extendingi rearwardly therefrom and a following vehicle and its anchor mechanism connected with said rope runs.-

8. In combination, a pilot-vehicle, a sheave thereon, a rope extending around said sheave and rearwardly therefrom, and a following vehicle and its anchoring mechanism connected with said rope.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NAT ELMER BROWN. 

